Mildred Sophie (Gerling) Beauchamp of Mexico, Missouri, age 92, passed away on May 2, 2024, at the University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia, with her children and grandchildren by her side.
Mildred, “Millie” was born on December 10, 1931, in Jefferson City, Missouri, the daughter of Louis and Veronica (Bax) Gerling, one of eleven children. Mille attended St. Peter Catholic Schools in Jefferson City from elementary through high school, graduating in 1949 from St. Peter High School.
She met Francis “Frank” W. Beauchamp Sr. while he was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood. They were married January 5, 1952, in Jefferson City, Missouri. They lived for a time in Georgia while Frank attended Officer Candidacy School, then Pocomoke City, Maryland, Frank’s hometown, where sons Francis Jr, Thomas, and Joseph were born. They then moved to Jefferson City, Missouri where sons Patrick and Gary and daughter Ann were born. In 1964 they settled permanently in Mexico, Missouri in the little house on Wilmar St that would be her home for the next sixty years, except for the last few months where she resided at King’s Daughters Home. Frank proceeded her in death on April 14, 1989.
Mildred worked in various clerical positions at Montgomery Ward and for the state of Missouri including 14 years at Mid-Missouri Mental Health where she retired in 1991. After retiring she worked part-time for several years for Brookstone customer service, mostly for extra spending money so she could spoil her grandchildren.
A lifelong and devote Catholic, she was a 60-year member of St. Brendan’s Catholic parish and longtime volunteer with the Ladies of St. Brendan’s. Her faith was extremely important to her and a key influence in her life. She lived her faith humbly with a servant’s heart, all were always welcome at Millie’s table; family, friends, wayward souls, and any four-legged animal that needed a home. She was known as a wonderful cook being most famous for both her fried chicken and chicken & dumplings.
Mille enjoyed the simple things in life, spring flowers, Christmas time, visiting with her cherished siblings, a good joke, and a winning scratcher ticket. Perhaps her greatest joy was the time she spent with her children, grandchildren, and later great-grandchildren, especially the annual Beauchamp Family Christmas on Christmas Eve.
She is survived by children, Frank (Helen) Beauchamp Jr., Tom Beauchamp, Joe Beauchamp, Pat (Terry) Beauchamp, Gary Beauchamp and Ann (Lee) Jolly; grandchildren Lanny (Michelle) Beauchamp, Nikki (Scott) Vomund, Connie Maxwell Cox, Beau Maxwell (Lindsay Hoover), Brittany (Sheldon) Turek, Adam Trull, Nathaniel Beauchamp and Sydney Beauchamp; sisters Dorothy “Dot” Neeley and Mary Jane “Janie” (Ralph) Lock; sisters-in-law Patricia Gerling, Mary Neeley, and Margaret Evans; brother-in-law William “Billy” (Brenda) Beauchamp. She is also survived by many great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other extended family.
Mildred was preceded in death by her husband Frank; two beloved grandsons Spencer Beauchamp and Matthew Beauchamp; one daughter-in-law Kate Beauchamp; her parents; five brothers, Edward “Ed” Gerling, Norbert “Sonny” Gerling, Leon Gerling, Leroy Gerling, and Theodore “Ted” Gerling; three sisters, Norma Buckley, Lucille Lock, Marjorie “Marg” Pfenenger; four brothers-in-law, Bob Neeley, John Buckley, Gus Lock, and Richard Pfenenger; and two sisters-in-law, Hazel Gerling and Jane Gerling.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 6, at St. Brendan Catholic Church with Fr. Dave Veit officiating. Burial will follow in St. Brendan Cemetery. Visitation is Monday from 9 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. at Arnold Funeral Home.
The family is grateful for the many expressions of sympathy we have already received from near and far. It is a great comfort to know how many lives our mother and grandmother touched throughout her 92 years. We request that memorial donations be made to the Ladies of St. Brendan or King’s Daughters Home who took such loving care of Millie. Memorials may be sent in care of Arnold Funeral Home, 425 S. Jefferson St., Mexico, MO 65265.
Online condolences may be left at www.arnoldfh.com
